The Cellar Restaurant

We have dined at The Cellar several times, but for this visit we just felt like a drink at the bar and an appetizer or two. I recommend using OpenTable to make a reservation. Even with an early 5pm reservation for the bar, we got the last two seats. They have a happy hour from 4pm to 6pm seven days a week with some pretty good deals on a few food items and several drinks. We ordered two bowls of lobster bisque which is normally $20 each but it is only $12 during happy hour. It was good and on par with a lobster bisque at any nice restaurant. It had several clumps of lobster, wasn't overly salty, and the cognac wasn't overly strong so no issues there. For drinks, we went off the regular cocktail menu. I had the Scorpion which is served in a tiki style mug. For a drink with both rum and brandy, it was balanced very well as brandy has a way of overpowering everything. But not with this drink and I enjoyed it. She had the seasonal Crimson & Clover which was good also. We were still a little hungry so we ordered the crab cake. It's served on a bed of tartar sauce with some greens on top. It was good but not great and I wouldn't order it again for $25. Some of my pictures look very bright but the restaurant is actually lit on the dimmer side and has a nice cozy feel. Parking in downtown Fullerton is always a challenge. There are a dozen or so parking spots right behind the restaurant and we got lucky and got one of those. Service was good and we were thanked on the way out.The Cellar is definitely on the pricey side. We usually only come here when it's a special occasion or they have something on their seasonal menu like venison which is often hard to find. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Ive been to the Cellar a few times now. Whenever my family has a special occasion to celebrate, this is my first choice for a meal. The Cellar is without a doubt in my top 5 restaurants that I've eaten at, and it is a strong contender for my favorite. The atmosphere is amazing. The basement vibe with a very dark and candle-like ambiance is a great tone setter for the meal. The place feels very serious, in the best way. Everything about the setting feels carefully prepared, which helps suggest that the meal you are about to eat will also be very carefully made, with attention to the smallest details. The atmosphere is not where the excellence stops. I have tried a wide variety of dishes here and I have yet to be disappointed. I think the best way to go about a meal here is to split multiple entrees and appetizers and taste everything that sounds interesting. This was the first place I tried escargot and octopus and both times they were show-stealers (I've since had escargot at other places and can safely say that the Cellar was leagues better). I think my favorite item that I try to get in some capacity each time I come here is the duck. The duck has a somewhat salty taste with a bit of fat that is a very unique meat taste and better than other meats I've tried. I am also a big fan of the mac and cheese side and the short rib. Service here has always been great as well. If you have a special occasion coming up and are willing to try some of the items on the menu, I highly recommend you check out the Cellar!

Let me just say - the ambiance in this place reminds me of those old mob movies/Sopranos where you make deals, something like Carbone.We were there for my friends birthday, and were promptly seated, however the seating arrangement we were in was pretty isolated from the restaurant, which can be great for some - but felt a bit weird for us. Nonetheless our server, Gracie, was attentive throughout the entire night, and the food came out quickly and delicious.Everything on this menu is pretty hefty, and I had the Icelandic Cod. As a lover of Thai food, I wanted to see what their take on Tom Kha was, and it did not disappoint. The Duck Confit was also excellent, fall off the bone tender and the beans were a perfect compliment to such a fatty meat. The French onion soup was also nice and velvety. We also got a mushroom medley which was good (as good as mushroom medleys can get) and our drinks were pretty tasty as well. If you are seated with a big party (5 or more) gratuity is added, and if you get seated where we were, you'll have no cellphone connection, which will make you engage more...

The best fine dining experience I've ever had. My partner took me here to celebrate my birthday. Located in a basement, the restaurant was nicely decorated and felt like you're living a different era. I've never seen something like this before so it was truly a unique setting for a fancy yet cozy dinner. This spot is great for a special occasion or date night. Our server was awesome. Since it was our first time, she was always checking in on us and also provided awesome recommendations from cocktails, appetizers, and entrees. For cocktails, we ordered the London Fog, Pumpkin Old Fashioned, and Cellar Old Fashioned. I had the London Fog and it was one of my favorite cocktails I've had. Not what I was expecting in terms of flavor and was truly surprised! We also had a complimentary bread basket which we devoured, then had the bone marrow appetizer and French onion soup. The bone marrow came in a big portion and was full of flavor. I didn't eat much of the bread since it was too hard for my liking. The French onion soup was delicious! Great service since they split it for us into two bowls so we can enjoy our soup. The best French onion soup I've ever had. For our entree, we had chef's choice. From what I remember, it was a 20oz medium rare Boneless Ribeye with a blue cheese sauce and duchess potatoes. With the sauce, it reminded us of what a dry aged steak tasted like, which blew our minds. The potatoes were also delicious. And you can't forget the dessert... we ordered a petite chocolate soufflé with salted caramel anglaise. They recommend ordering as you get your entree as it takes time to prepare. No regrets here as this soufflé was so tasty. I love the warmth of the dessert, and it wasn't too sweet! Chocolate and salted caramel go well together. The crème brulee was amazing. So rich and creamy. Although we were full, we finished our dessert because of how delicious they were.If I could give 10 stars, I would! Will come back again soon.

Stopping in for a pizza at Fuoco... long wait, bars full, luckily there are plenty of places to wait in Downtown. Wandered down to the Cellar grabbed a spot across from the bar and to our surprise pumpkin old fashioned still on the menu, my wife loves these!Enjoyed the calm before the Christmas chaos in a spot that definitely feels like it is in a different city. Great vibe, great drinks!

You need to eat here! Amazing for date night. The French inspired menu is delectable. Servers are super knowledgeable and friendly! The bar makes great cocktails and they have a few nice 12-18 year single malt Scotches. Parking is OK. Get there early. You need a reservation, especially on the weekend. The interior was dote by the prop department at Dinsen and they did a killer job!I occasionally like to stop in and meet a friend at the bar afterwork and spend an hour catching up. This is a great place to do so. Not budget friendly. 100% worth it, but pricy.

Highlights: filet mignon, French onion soup, escargot Hidden in the basement of downtown Fullerton, this steakhouse exudes a classic, cozy charm that feels like stepping into a wine cellar. The dim lighting and intimate atmosphere make it a perfect spot for a special dinner.We started with the escargot and French onion soup, both of which were absolutely delightful and set the tone for the meal. However, the lobster bisque was overly salty and didn't quite hit the mark for us. For the main course, the filet mignon was cooked to a perfect medium as requested and melted in our mouths. Paired with the garlic mashed potatoes, it was an impeccable combination.The staff went above and beyond with their professionalism and friendliness, making the experience even more enjoyable. Highly recommend this place for steak lovers looking for a classic dining experience!

we celebrated our anniversary at the Cellar on a Friday night, i was a huge fan of the ambiance and speakeasy vibe they had going on. it was honestly the perfect place for an intimate dinner and special occasion but although i made a reservation in advance, we still had to wait 10-15 min for a table to open up. it seemed they were pretty busy and the waiting area also was pretty cramped unfortunately but they allowed us to get a couple drinks while we waited.once we were seated, our waiter was excellent and gave pretty good recommendations. ordered:~ drinks: London Fog- so good! unlike any drink ive had before and perfectly floral / Scorpion - would skip this one, nothing special / Currant Events - also unique but super strong~ food: lobster bisque - delicious app! sad there wasnt a bigger size, so creamy and decadent / Short Rib - meat was tender and flavor was good but pretty salty for our taste / Filet Mignon - star of the night, cooked to perfection, tender and seasoned well, also really enjoyed the garlic potatoes under they also gave us a complimentary dessert of vanilla ice cream+raspberries, with a anniversary chocolate which was such a sweet gesture. dinner was pretty good but overall though, i probably would try another dinner spot to celebrate before returning here just because of the price and having to wait.

This place is unique and kind of hidden. It has a very unique ambiance by being underground and dimly lit. Parking is a bit of a struggle in downtown Fullerton so just account for that time. Noise level was a little higher than usual with one rowdy table next to us, but you can usually expect low noise levels. Service was great, she was very nice and helpful, but the entrees did take a bit longer than normal to come out. The food tasted delicious as always. They have my favourite steak tartare.

It's a great place. I went to dinner on my own and was treated extra special.The service was top-tier.Food was on another level.Truly a great dining experience